You Can Catch a Cold From Being Cold and More--8 Common Health Myths, Debunked

This weekend, I am presenting a session at the Asian American Women Leadership Conference to high school and college students about taking care of our bodies. One the topics is common health myths. Despite our best efforts at debunking them, here are 8 pervasive myths:

#1. You can catch a cold from being too cold. Growing up, how many of us have heard this from well-meaning parents and grandparents? It’s easy to see how this myth came to be. People do get more colds in the winter. Going outside in the cold without proper protection isn’t particularly pleasant, and if you do it enough, might lead to a weaker immune system. However, we also know that colds are viral infections that are transmitted through viruses. You catch a cold from someone else who has a cold, not from being too cold yourself. So, to avoid catching colds, be diligent about washing your hands (though bundling up in cold weather isn’t a bad idea either).

#2. You will get blind if you read in low light. If this is the case, then our ancestors will surely all have suffered from blindness! It’s not true that reading in low light leads to blindness. That said, why strain your eyes unnecessarily? If you have the choice, read in an environment with lighting that is pleasant to you.

#3. In order to tan, you must burn first. This is definitely NOT true. Sunburns are potentially dangerous, and can lead to sunstroke and dehydration, not to mention skin cancer. Tanning itself carries similar risks. How much you tan depends on your skin type (there are some people who burn and never tan, for example), but you should definitely not plan to get sunburned in order to tan.

#4. Muscle turns to fat if you don’t use it. Anatomically, this just isn’t the case. Muscle and fat are two different types of tissues, and one doesn’t turn into the other. However, there may be some truth overall in that if you don’t exercise, you lose your muscle mass. If you consume the same number of calories as when you were exercising, you will probably gain weight. So make sure to exercise regularly!

#5. Alcohol kills brain cells. In junior high, I watched my teacher drop a rat brain into alcohol, and the alcohol seemed to eat away at the brain. So alcohol kills brain cells, right? Well, not exactly. The alcohol that you drink enters your bloodstream, and doesn’t actually attack your brain directly. Of course, there are other ways for alcohol to injure your brain: for example, binge drinking can lead to decrease in breathing and injury to your brain that way, and drinking while driving has many other dangerous effects. As with everything else, drink responsibly, and in moderation.

#6. People are fat because they don’t exercise. While exercise is necessary to maintain good health, the primary contributor to being overweight is poor diet. An overweight person will have difficulty losing weight by exercise alone; a good diet with decreased calories is also necessary. Genes also play a role. That doesn't mean you shouldn't exercise if you want to lose weight--but make sure you also change your diet.

#7. Birth control/HPV vaccine/etc leads to more sex. A myth like is testament to people using anything as “research” to support their views. It’s hard to imagine that anyone will choose to have more sex because they have better information and a few shots in their arm. A better way to think about this is that people are going to be sexually active anyway. Why not empower them with information to make good choices (i.e. birth control and sex education)? The HPV vaccine can guard against cervical cancer; why not protect our young?

#8. Women need annual pap smears starting from age 18. This used to be the case, but the guidelines have been revised such that it’s recommended for women to get pap smears every three years, starting from three years after they begin sexual intercourse. This doesn’t mean that you should only see your doctor every three years; an annual woman’s visit is beneficial for a number of reasons, including checking up on your health in general and addressing other aspects of your sexual health.

Many of these myths are partially based on the truth; that’s why it’s so hard to sort them out. Yet, they have been proven time and time again, with a variety of scientific studies, to not be true.

Do you agree? Disagree? Have other myths that you want to share? Please write your comments below! I would love to hear from you.

6 Ways to Get Rid of Your Headache

Got a headache? You’re not alone. Headache is the most common symptom that patients go to their doctor for. Nearly 10% of Americans suffer from regular migraines, and nearly a third of people report having a severe headache within the last three months that interfered with their daily activities.

Here are 6 ways to get rid of your headache.

#1. Rest. Most people feel better after closing their eyes and lying down. This is a common treatment for migraine sufferers, and for people with stress-induced headaches. Most of us will benefit from a rest, so find a dark place and close your eyes.

#2. Relax. Even more common than a migraine is headache induced by tension. However, especially for those who are accustomed to living a stressful life, relaxing is easier said than done. So try various techniques. Head-stretching and breathing exercises may help, as can massages, yoga, and meditation.

#3. Drink. Water, that is. Dehydration contributes to headache, and this is a problem you can fix yourself Drink two glasses of water when you feel like your headache is starting; this can help to curb it before it gets worse.

#4. Exercise. If your head hurts, exercise may be the last thing you want to do. For some people, particularly those who may have tension headaches, exercise can really help their symptoms. Regular exercise can also help prevent headaches from occurring, so try to build in at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise four times a week.

#5. Take anti-inflammatory medications. Tylenol and Ibuprofen can reduce headache symptoms. Take 650mg of Tylenol and 600mg of Ibuprofen when your symptoms first start. It’s OK to take these together, and to repeat in 6 hours if you need. Be careful that other products can contain these ingredients, in particular Tylenol (acetaminophen): check the label of other medications you’re taking to make sure you are not overdosing on it.

#6. Consider alternative treatments. Though there is no clear evidence that alternative therapies are effective for headaches, some people have great results from acupuncture, for example. Certain teas, such as peppermint and lemon-ginger, have also been associated with alleviating headaches.

Of course, it’s always important to be on the look out for more serious causes of headache, for example, sudden onset of the worst headache of your life, fever, numbness, weakness, vomiting, or other concerning symptoms. Know that everyone is different, and you should try various therapies to see what works for you. Finally, as with everything, prevention is the best medicine, so sleep well, de-stress, and practice other good lifestyle habits!

I welcome your comments! What are other things you’d like to know more about?

6 Ways to Fight End-of Summer Blues

Summer is coming to an end. Feeling down around this time is quite common, especially for those of us who live in colder climates and can see the winter approaching. Here are 6 ways to fight those end-of-summer blues:

#1. Get sunlight. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) affects up to 10% of people. You may not have full blown SAD, but use the same treatment—and the same preventive measures—to feel better. Soak up the sunlight. Open your blinds at home. Find areas at work that have natural light; perhaps take breaks in a room where the sun streams in or that’s near a skylight. Choose to walk the longer route on sunny days. Eat lunch in the park. Even if it’s chilly outside, the sunlight itself will help you.

#2. Exercise. Physical exercise alleviates stress and makes you feel healthier and happier in general. When you exercise, natural endorphins kick in that improve your mood. It may be particularly helpful if you exercise outside; a brisk power walk when it’s light outside will help you get fit, feel better, and soak up sunlight! Aim to have at least four-40 minute episodes of aerobic exercise per week.

#3. Eat summer foods. In the summer, we tend to eat healthier than in other seasons. Meals are filled with fresh fruit, raw vegetables, and big salads. Keep this up! Just because the weather is changing doesn’t mean we have to load up on the carbs. Aim to have three of these “summer meals” a week. Bring fruit and vegetable snacks to work instead of potato chips. Choose a salad over a carb-heavy lunch. A change in diet can help you feel significantly better.

#4. Sleep early and well. As it starts to get dark earlier, shift your schedule gradually to the earlier side. Make sure you are getting at least 8 hours of sleep every night. Waking up earlier helps you get more sunlight, and good sleep hygiene is essential to good physical and mental health.

#5. Keep reminders of summer with you. Display your pictures of summer vacation. Use lotions and scents with coconut and other summery smells. Light a scented candle, and break out the bubble bath. These little touches can make a difference.

#6. Make good plans for the rest of the seasons. Have some things that you are looking forward to in the fall and the winter. Perhaps it’s a vacation, or party, or other event--maybe it's as simple as viewing the fall colors. Celebrate the little things too, and treat yourself often. There are reasons to embrace the other seasons too! And if all else fails, summer isn’t that far the future again.

I'd love to hear your thoughts and comments about my blog and videocast. What do you use to combat those end-of-summer blues?

5 Medical Truths Your Doctor Wants You to Know

 Today's healthcare consumer is constantly barraged with conflicting information. Does wine prevent or predispose to cancer? Should I eat certain foods or avoid them? Is this new medication going to hurt me or help me? Many issues are still controversial, but there are some things that have a large amount of evidence behind them. Below are the 5 things that I want my patients to know:

1) Antibiotics will not help the common cold. Colds are caused by viruses, and antibiotics kill bacteria, which is a whole different type of organism. All of us have been through colds. We know that they are unpleasant--lots of sneezing, coughing, body aches, fever, feeling run down. All of us also know that colds will go away on their own. Some patients will swear that taking antibiotics will help them, but we know scientifically that this is not true; the cold is self-limited and was going to go away on its own anyway. Much better than taking a pill that doesn't work is to strengthen your immune system, and prevent the cold from happening in the first place. Get adequate sleep. Eat a healthy diet. If you do have a cold, drinking lots of fluids and taking tylenol and ibuprofen is key to your recovery--not antibiotics.

2) A CT scan will not help a headache. Having a headache, just like catching a cold, is unpleasant. Your head throbs. You might feel that you can't concentrate and go about your daily activities. While there are potentially serious causes of headache, the vast majority of them are due to tension headache or migraine. These will go away with time. Again, over-the-counter medications like tylenol and ibuprofen can help, as can rest in a quiet, dark room and lots of fluids. A CT scan will only show what you DON'T have, and, in the vast majority of cases, will not help make your diagnosis--and certainly won't make you feel better.

3) Every test has potential side effects. Patients often ask their doctors for tests to figure out what's wrong; in the same way, doctors often rely on tests to save them time of speaking to patients to make the diagnosis. The problem is that tests can only tell you what you DON'T have, and not what you actually have. Studies have shown that actually sitting down with the patient and talking to her will much more likely yield the diagnosis than any test. And every test has potential side effects.  CT scans involve radiation, and studies have shown that each individual scan increases your lifetime risk of getting cancer. Some CTs and MRIs involve administering contrast dye that could cause kidney damage. Even the simple blood draw can lead to complications like infection and bruising. This is not to say that you should never get tests done; it's just a reminder that tests are not always the answer, and that you should make sure you know ahead of time what the risks and benefits are of every test.

4) Lifestyle changes make a huge difference. Study after study show that the single most important contributor to decreasing your risk of heart disease, for example, is your lifestyle. You can take pills to decrease your blood pressure, lower your cholesterol, and control your diabetes--but even better is to eat a healthy diet with low saturated fat and exercising. Similarly, the single biggest risk to health that is preventable is smoking. Within even a few months of stopping smoking, the risk of cancers and heart disease begins to decrease. Don't get me wrong: it's not easy. Working on your lifestyle requires far more investment in your time and energy than popping a pill. But it's the most effective way to really make a difference in your health.

5) Aspirin is one of few medications that's been definitively shown to help you. Big pharma would like us to believe that the newest and greatest drug is the best thing out there to prevent heart attack and stroke, but actually aspirin is one of very few medications that's proven its weight. It reduces the risk of hear attack and stroke, and some studies are demonstrating that it may even be preventative against cancer. People who experience chest pain get aspirin first, before they get anything else, because it is the one thing that helps them if they are already having a heart attack. Not everyone needs to take aspirin, and there are some for whom it may be harmful (all medications, just like all tests, have side effects), but this is one more reminder that the newest and greatest isn't always the best; sometimes it's the tried and true that you need.

I hope you enjoyed these medical truths. Do you agree with them? Disagree? Are there other truths and myths that you'd like to share, or that you'd like me to look into? I'd love to hear from you. I am also starting a new YouTube Channel. This article appears as a video. Please let me know what you think!